. . . The crown is before you, and it is an incorruptible one; so run that you may obtain it. Some there be that set out for this crown, and after they have gone far for it, another comes in and takes it from them: hold fast therefore that you have; let no man take your crown. You are not yet out of the gun-shot of the devil; you have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin; let the kingdom be always before you, and believe steadfastly concerning things that are invisible. Let nothing that is on this side the other world get within you; and above all, look well to your own hearts and to the lusts thereof, for they are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; set your faces like a flint; you have all the power in heaven and earth on your side.

In this passage from "The Pilgrim's Progress," Evangelist offers Christian and Faithful a profound reminder of the trials ahead and the imperishable reward that awaits the steadfast. The "crown" symbolizes salvation and eternal life, a prize that can be lost if vigilance wanes. Evangelist warns them of the devil's persistent attacks and urges them to be unwavering and resolute, illustrated by the phrase "set your faces like a flint." This imagery suggests unyielding determination, encouraging the pilgrims to harness divine strength to resist worldly temptations. Bunyan's words serve as a metaphor for the spiritual journey, where belief in "things that are invisible" requires relentless faith and discipline. Evangelist's cautionary advice emphasizes the importance of inner vigilance against one's own "deceitful" desires to maintain the path to salvation.